Cake inquiry--for anyone that's made the Balzano apple cake

M

monj

Well-known member
Do you think semi-ripe peaches would work instead of apples and making it the day before would be ok? Or should I just go with the NYT strawberry spoon cake of recent buzz....TIA!!

Balzano Apple Cake

Time: 1-1/4 hours

1 stick butter (4 ounces), plus more for greasing pan

1/2 cup flour, plus more for pan

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

5 Granny Smith apples

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk at room temperature

Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 375 Degrees F. Line 8-inch square pan with foil, then smear with thick layer of butter. Dust with flour; turn pan over, and tap lightly to remove excess flour.

Melt butter in small saucepan. Set aside. Beat together eggs and half of sugar in a bowl. Continue to beat while slowly adding remaining sugar until thick; it should form a ribbon when dropped from a spoon.

Split vanilla bean in two lengthwise. Scrape seeds into egg-sugar batter and add pod to melted butter.

Peel, quarter and core apples, then trim ends and slice thinly.

Remove vanilla pod from butter and stir butter into sugar-egg batter. Combine 1/2 cup flour and baking powder, then stir it into batter alternately with milk. Stir in apples, coating every piece with batter. Pour batter into pan, using fingers to pat top evenly.

Bake for 25 minutes, then rotate the pan; bake for about 25 minutes more, until cake pulls away from pan and is brown on top; a thin-bladed knife inserted into the center will come out clean when it is done. Cool 30 minutes, then cut lengthwise and sprinkle slices with powdered sugar.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Recipe of Chef Scott Carsberg of Seattle's Lampreia

 
I've not made that cake, but...

my first thought is that even semi-ripe peaches will release more juice than Granny Smith apples would.

 
Haven't made it with peaches, but I think they would have to be pretty firm to replicate

the density of apples. Ripe peaches would just melt into the batter. And sadly, firm peaches don't taste like "peaches" to me. They have to be soft and juicy and make a mess running down my chin (Oh, Sirmioni!) to rock my tastes bud boat.

The recipe is listed at the NYTImes as BOLZANO CAKE, but no one mentioned peaches in their comments either.

If you decide to opt for the strawberry, switch up the directions and put some of the juice at the bottom of the pan BEFORE adding the batter and the strawberries on top. This creates a jam of sorts on the bottom and envelopes the batter in happy strawberryness.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10841-bolzano-apple-cake

 
I think it would work--but probably be "different" from the apple cake. Here is a link

to an Ina Garten peach cake that does use a different method of assembling the pan but very similar ingredients, etc.
I think the observation that it might be more moist could be correct but don't know that that would be a bad thing.
And I would use ripe peaches in any case because the flavor is developed. Unripe don't really have that much.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fresh-peach-cake-recipe-1923148

 
I made it this morning with big, fresh, yellow peaches from the

Farmers Market. It was delicious, moist, and I love putting pecans with peaches, such a nice combination. Hubby loved it, and so did I.

if you want to be naughty, combine with Dryers, Triple loaded ice cream, low calore vanilla ice cream, with caramel tubes . OMG, so good and I added chocolate drizzle which hardened over the ice cream.. It is time to cut back on calories, after the lockdown, and I am starting tomorrow, back to my no sweets, and a green salad for lunch.

 
Thanks All! Wound up serving a famous NJ coffee cake DH brought home.

Will attempt a Bolzano-ish peach cake at some point. Ina's has a lot of sugar and being an inexperienced baker, I don't know how much I can cut without having the cake not turn out well.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top